Synchronizing mechanism for chime-clocks.



W. J. HERSCHEDE & Ci COHAN.

SYNCHRONIZING MECHANISM FOR CHIME CLOCKS. APPLICAT'iON FILED Nov. H. 1916.

1,229,454. Patented June 12, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. HERSCHEDE AND CHARLES COI-IAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE I-IERSCI'IEDE HALL CLOCK COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SYNCHRONIZING MECHANISM FOR CHINE-CLOCKS.

Application filed November 11, 1916.

1 b all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, lVAL'rnR J. Hanscrinnn and CHARLES CorIAN, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Synchronizing Mechanisms for Chime-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved clock construction and particularly to clocks having chiming mechanisms in which rotating chime drums are provided for operating the chime striking hammers.

An object of our invention is to eliminate in clocks of the rotating chime drum type, certain elements of the mechanism and there by to simplify the mechanism as well as to cheapen its cost of manufacture.

A further object is to produce a chime clock construction in which more room is obtained between the front and back plates thereof for the convenient location of the time train elements of the clock.

A further object is to produce an improved chime clock construction in which certain elements are eliminated to reduce wear in the clock mechanism and to thereby prolong life.

These and other objects are attained in the clock mechanism described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clock movement embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the movement disclosed in Fig. 1, certain portions being broken away and shown in section for convenience of illustration.

The illustrated embodiment of our invention is particularly adapted to chime clock movements having the usual rotating drum by means of which the chime striking hammers are operated. The invention herein described relates particularly to that portion of the mechanism by means of which the drum is synchronized in its rotation with the time train of the clock, a mechanism similar to that described in United States Letters Patent 909,298, issued to Edward F. Herschede upon January 12, 1909, being chosen to illustrate our invention.

In this synchronizing mechanism as described in the above mentioned patent, a synchronizing gear is employed in controlling Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Serial No. 130,698.

the movement of the drum longitudinally of its axis, during certain portions of its rotation. This gear is connected with the minute shaft of the clock by means of a series of gears and a shaft extending therefrom to the synchronizing gear. In the construction disclosed in the above mentioned patent the shaft is located wholly between the front and back plates of the clock movement and consequently the gears mounted upon it are also located between the front and back plates. For this reason an additional gear located back of the front plate is required in order to communicate motion to the shaft from the minute shaft. Such a construction has been found to be objectionable in that it necessitates the employment of an additional gear wheel and the provision of an additional horizontal shaft extending through the front plate, together with another gear meshing with a gear on the minute shaft for communicating motion to the additional horizontal shaft, thus contributing to the wear imposed upon the clock mechanism. Furthermore, the shaft and gears between the plates, occupy space which is needed for the placing of certain elements of the time train. This necessitates arranging the location of these time train elements in a somewhat awkward manner.

In order to overcome these object-ions we have provided a gear 11 secured to the minute shaft 8 of the movement. A gear 7 mounted on a diagonally extending shaft 5, meshes directly with gear 11. In order that gear 7 may mesh directly with gear 11 it is necessary to provide an openin 12 in the front plate of the movement to permit it as well as its mounting shaft 5 to extend therethrough. This places shaft 5 in an oblique position both when viewed from the front as well as the end of the movement as disclosed in the drawings. The upper end of shaft 5 is provided with a gear 6 which meshes with the synchronizing gear 4 of the clock and is journaled in bracket 13 secured to the end bracket 14 supporting the chime drum. The lower end of the shaft is supported in a bracket 15 which is secured in any suitable manner to the front plate of the movement and which extends in front of it as disclosed in Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that in our improved construction we have dispensed with two gears, have eliminated a horizontal shaft which extended between the front and back plates, and have substituted for a central vertical shaft, a shaft located diagonally across one corner of the space between the front and back plates, thereby making this space available for more convenient and practical location of the elements of the time train at this end of the movement.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim is; v

1. A clock comprising time indicating and chime ringing mechanisms, and a mechanism adapted to synchronize the movement of the time indicating and chime ringing mecha nisms, and containing a synchronizing gear, a gear mounted on the front plate of the clock and rotated by a shaft of the time indicating mechanism, a shaft extending through the front plate from the first to the second mentioned gear, and gears mounted on the shaft, meshing with the first and second mentioned gears.

2. A clock comprising a time indicating mechanism, a chime ringing mechanism, and

a mechanism adapted to synchronize the 2 of the clock and rotated by the minute shaft 3 of the time indicating mechanism, a shaft having its upper end located between the front and back plates of the clock and having its lower end extending through and beyond the front plate of the clock, and gears secured to the shaft, meshing with the first and second n'ientioned gears.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 3rd day of November, 1916.

XVALTER J. IIERSCH EDE. CHARLES COHAN.

Witnesses JOHN A. Tinnsomcnn, WV. THORNTON Boenirr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

